How to maintain a great HS BB team?

I remember the Woodall kid from our battles with the Northmeck Pony All Stars a few years back. What a good crop of well coached ball players. We played many AAU tourneys and ran into the Charlotte Royals a few times as well. I see the names in the paper from time to time and it does'nt surprise me that they're doing well. Lack of feeder programs makes it darn near impossible to compete these days. That has hurt us at Mooresville for quite a while. But we now have a good crop of players comming along due to the fact that they have been involved with AAU, USSSA and other leagues for several years now. It's wrong to expect a coach to develop a competitive program without having these feeder leagues. So many sports today have been specialized to the point that you must pick one, and JUST one and work on it 10 months out of the year. Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Softball and Baseball have mostly gone to this format. Did I leave anybody out? Just try and be COMPETITIVE without them.

 

Ditto Tank

I know Dan Woodall and I gotta say that he's an even better person than he is a ball player.

 

I believe that it's a combination of feeder programs and the school board's gerrymandering.

My son played for the Big I several years ago, and they had a very competive team that were co-champs and tournament winners the last year that Indy was in the SW4A. The team that gave them the most fits was Butler. Interestingly enough, 75% of the team members, my son included, played either Mint Hill or Matthews rec ball.

Imagine how good I would have been that year had the best players from each team had been on the same one.

 

...to first page

...we have a lot of newbies right now

 

I have to disagree a bit with NCBballfan.

Greenville NC may have the best youth baseball program in the state (No doubt about having the best high school program).

They do things a bit differently in Greenville. The formula has not changed in 30+ years. Very few players are on traveling teams and AAU ball is looked upon as a hinderance rather than a help.

Parents do not coach until a kid is in Little League. Prior to Little League the kids are trained by Rec and Parks Dept employees, all of whom are more than qualified. Fundamentals are stressed over and over and over. It pays off, as the JHRose and DHConely high school teams are known for not making mistakes.

The most important thing is the Greenville staff makes playing ball fun. From the time you start in T-ball to playing at Rose with Coach Vincent, you will have fun.

It must work. They recently sent a Little League team to Williamsport, their Babe Ruth Programs win state championships on a yearly basis, Rose has placed more kids in college baseball than any school in America, and Rose wins and wins and wins.

And it is all fun.